Receptacle for containing and discharging semisolid and pasty substances.



. J. F..CRAVEN. REOEPTAOLE FOR GONTAINING AND DISGHARGING' SBMISOLID ANDPASTY SUBSTANCES.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 22, 1911 I 1,021,452, Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

. I NVENT OR STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. CRAVEN, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

BEGEPTAGLE CONTAINING- AND DISCHABGING SEMISOLID AND PAST! SUBSTANCES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Application filed April 22, 1911. Serial No. 622,816.

The particular purpose is to enable the' grease to be put up 1n suchform that it can be conveniently shipped and handled and the greasedischarged therefrom without liability of dirt or grit coming into.cont-act with the grease or entering the bearings,

and also so as to prevent smearing up the machinery or the hands of theuser. The invention however is not'limited to this particular use, butis adapted for putting up in a substantially sealed condition any semi-,liquid, semi-solid or pasty substance, and

delivering the samefrom the container in any desired quantity orquantities.

The particular purpose of the present invention is to provide a devicefor the purpose specified, so constructed that the outletorifice 1Sautomatically closed when the operation of discharging" the contentsceases, and also so constructed that the means for forcing the contentsfrom the receptacle cannot be moved in the wrong direction.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a verticalsection through areceptacle having the invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the same showing the "discharge orifice open; Fig. 3 is a plan viewwith the discharge orifice closed; and Fig. 4 is a section on the line44, Fig. 2.

The invention is applicable to any form of container provided with adischarge orifice and with means for forcing the'contents through saidorifice.

In the drawings 1 indicates a receptacle or container which may be ofany desired size or shape and built up or constructed in any desiredway. As shown the container comprises a substantially cylindrical tube 1which may be formed of sheet metal or other thin substance, .but' isshown as made from paste or paper board. One end of this tube is closedby means of the bottom 2 com-- posed of, sheet metal and crimped onto'the end of the paper tube. The other end is closed by means of the head3 also formed of sheet metal and crimped onto the tube, and providedwith a projection 5 which is externally threaded to have attachedthereto a delivery spout or nozzle, and whose outer end 6 is providedwith the discharge orifice 7.

The means for forcing the contents out of the container is shown as apiston or follower 9, shown as formed of cupped sheet metal and providedwith a cup leather 10 or.

other yielding means forming a close fit with the tube and facing towardthe discharge orifice. When the receptacle is full this piston orfollower lies at one end of the container and by moving it toward thedischarge opening the contents are expelled from the container. i

Various means may be used for moving the piston toward the dischargeorifice. As shown the piston is provided with a threaded hub 11 which isengaged by a threaded screw or rod 12 lying axially in the receptacleand extending through an opening in the bottom 2 and provided at itsouter end with a handle 13 or other suitable means whereby it may beturned. Endwise movement of the screw or threaded rod 12 is prevented bymeans ofthe washer 14 surround ing said screw or rod just inside of thebottom 2 of the. receptacle and held in place by means of pin 15. It isobvious therefore that when the screw or rod 12 is rotated in the properdirection, the piston or follower 9 is caused to travel toward thedischarge orifice. The piston or follower is prevented from rotation bythe frictional engagement of its periphery with the walls of the tube,but if desired a strip of pasteboard 16 may be secured ,to the innerface of the tube and made to engage a recessor-cut-away portion in theperiphery of the piston or follower,

The parts so far described may be of various forms and the specificdevices shown I have been chosen merely for purposes of illustration asthe improvements herein claimed are applicable to any form of device inwhich there is a rotating shaft or member 'for actuating the piston. Thespecific im- 'rovements are for the purpose of prevent mg rotation ofthepiston actuating means in the wrong direction and also for operatingthe closure for the discharge orifice 7 number of turns so that thefrictional en- The closure may be of various forms. It is illustrated inthe form of a cap 17 which fits over the projection 5 and is rotatablysecured thereto, such as by rivet 18. The cap 1.7 has in its end anopening 19 of substantially the same size and shape as the dischargeorifice 7 in the end of nozzle 5. Obviously when these openings arebrought into register the contents can escape from the receptacle, andwhen brought out 'of register the discharge orifice is closed. Suitablemeans are provided for limiting the rotation of the closing cap in bothdirections. This means may be of various forms and is shown as a tongue20 struck from the metal of the cap 17 and projecting down into thedischarge orifice 7 and adapted to contact with the edges of the opening7 at opposite ends thereof, when the closure is rotated in oppositedirections, thereby limiting the extent of rotary movement of theclosing cap.

The means for actuating the'closure from the piston actuating means isshown in the form of a helical spring 21 which surrounds the unthreadedend of the screw or rod 12 and has one end thereof extending through aslot 22 in theend of projection 5 and secured to the closing cap 17 at23, and having its other end perfectly free. The coil is formed ofresilient metal, such as steel wire, and is so coiled as to embrace thescrew or rod 12 quite tightly, and has a suflicient gagement thereofwith the screw or rod 12 tends to carry said coil with the screw or rod12 whenever the latter is turned. Now it is perfectly obvious that ifthe screw or rod 12 is turned in the proper direction, that isclockwise, it will carry the coil with it and therefore turn the closingcap 17 in the same direction. The parts are-so arranged that thismovement brings the holes 7 and 19 into register as shown in Fig. 2, oropening the discharge orifice. As soon however as the tongue 20 on theclosing cap contacts with the end wall of opening 7 further rotation ofthe closing cap is stopped. The screw or rod 12, however, can still-berotated as the frictional engagement of the coil 21 therewith ofi'ersbut little resistance to the free rotation thereof in the directionstated, wherein the frictional effect of the rotating screw or rod inthe coil tends to open up or expand said coil. -The screwit will beobserved is left-handed, so that the rotation thereof clockwise asdescribed, causes the piston 9 to move toward the discharge orifice andto force the contents from said discharge orifice. This movement iscontinued until the required amount of contents is discharged.

To close the discharge orifice the'handle 13 is turned slightlybackward,1 that is contraclockwise, whereupon the closing cap is turnedin the reverse direction from its opening movement by reason of the coil21- being carried around backwardly with the screw -or rod 12. Thismovement continues until the tongue 20 contacts with the opposite wallof opening 7, in which position the openings 7 and 18 are entirely outof register and the discharge orifice is closed. When this occursfurther backward rotation of the closing cap is stopped, and the end 22of the coil 21 therefore becomes stationary. Now the coil is wound insuch a direction that when the end thereof is stationary the frictionaleffect of the rotating screw or rod in said coil tends to further windup or contract the coil, and.

the'latter immediately grips the screw or rod with such force that itinstantly stops further backward rotation of the screw or rod. Thisgripping effect is so positive that with even a small spring of a fewcoils, further backward rotation cannot be had without breaking eitherthe spring or some other part. Consequently the piston cannot be movedbackwardly, thereby preventing the waste of time which would be causedif construction and cheap to manufacture, and

add very little to the cost of the container. They provide a positiveand substantially automatic opening and closing of the discharge orificeso that dirt is absolutely prevented from entering the container, and

also prevent the loss of time which would occur in case the pistonactuating means were free to be rotated in the wrong direction.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a receptacle providedwith a discharge orifice, means for forcing the contents through saiddischarge orifice, a closure for said discharge orifice-,and a singlemeans connecting the forcing means and said closure and arranged to bothopen and close said closure and also prevent rear-,

ward movement of said forcing means.

2. 'A device of the character described comprising a receptacle providedwith\ a discharge orifice, a closure for said discharge orifice, apiston or follower in said receptacle arranged when moved to force thecontents through the discharge orifice, a rotating or 'turnlng memberfor moving said piston-or follower, and a single means connecting saidrotating or turning memher and said closure and arranged to both openand close said closure and also preventing rearward rotation of saidpiston actuating means. Y

3. A device of the character described comprising a-receptacle providedwith a discharge orifice, a closure for said discharge orifice, a pistonor follower for forcing the contents through said discharge orifice, arotary threaded member-engaging said piston or'follower, and a singlemeans connecting said screwor threaded rod and said closure and arrangedto both open and close said closure and also preventrearward rotatlon ofsaid screw or threaded rod.

4. A device of the character described comprising a receptacle providedwith a discharge orifice, a piston or follower for forcing the contentsthrough the discharge orifice, a closure for said discharge orificehaving a limited rotary movement, a rotary member for actuating saidpiston, and means connecting said rotary member and said closure andfrictionally attached to one thereof.

5. A device of the character described comprising a receptacle providedwith a" dischargeorifice, a member for closing said discharge orificeand having a limited rotary movement, a piston or follower for forcingthe contents through said discharge orifice, a rotary member foractuating said piston, and a coiled spring having one end.

attached to said closing device and having its coils surrounding andfrictionally engaging said rotating actuating member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES F. CRAVEN. Witnesses:

W. C. LYON, MARY E. CAriooN.

